1949 Geneva vs 1968 Vienna Convention: Which IDP Do You Need?
The difference between the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention International Driving Permits, and which one each country recognises.
The 1949 Geneva Convention IDP
The 1949 Geneva Convention is the most widely recognised standard, accepted in 150+ countries including the United States, Japan, Australia, Thailand and most of Asia.
Most travellers from the US, Canada and the UK use the 1949 Geneva format.
The 1968 Vienna Convention IDP
The 1968 Vienna Convention modernised the standard and is used across much of Europe, Brazil, Argentina and the Gulf states.
Some countries are party to both conventions; where a country recognises both, either permit is accepted.
Which one should you get?
You do not need to choose manually — when you select your destination during the application, your permit is issued in the convention format that destination recognises.
If you are visiting multiple countries, an IDP covering the Geneva format provides the broadest coverage.
FAQ
Daniel leads the country research behind every International Driving Permit guide on this site. He has spent the past six years documenting cross-border driving requirements — which destinations follow the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, which apply the 1968 Vienna Convention, and what that means in practice at a rental counter or a police checkpoint.
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